G 20.3 scale engine house roof.

[Anonymous]

I have made some scale lumber and built a nice logging-camp type engine house. The roof is a ridge beam with rafters. I am looking for ideas on what type materials I could scrounge that would look like tin roof of some kind without spending ridiculous money that plastic sheets might cost. I might want to put it outdoors eventually as well and wonder what's durable enough for that..

The building is 26" long and the roof from ridge beam to eaves is 5 -7 inches.

thanks,

Tim

[Anonymous]

Tim,
I would try aluminum flashing as used on real houses or try cut up pop/beer cans and lay them in sheets. You could also try to make it corregated by taking a wide punch or something else to make the ridges. Hope this helps - Greg

[Anonymous]

Michaels or other craft stores carry a paper crimper that makes a nice corrugated pattern, there was a thread that cover this as well you may want to do a search. Vsmith if I recalled new of some thin aluminum that bends better.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps another idea is aluminum baking foil, perhaps double layered. Support underneath could be a problem.

mikadousrp

[Kiwi Down Under]

Tim,
Trouble is with a lot of those ideas the ridges are too small to look realistic, or ifs its alloy cans paint does not stick.

Its frustrating spending hours weathering something to find the first hot day it peels and your left with a shiny aluminium roof.

With everything I have tried the most succesfull is corrogated cardboard. Thats right, cardboard.

As long as its supported , stick it ontop of plastic, then give number of coats of paint ( roof paint ) then I put a layer of satin polyuarathane over it and it lasts. I have one model been outside for 2 years and no sign of water damage.

I have found that contact cement ( stuff you paint on both faces, wait till it dries, then touch together) is the best .

Along top ridge protected with wet & dry paper glued down with no more nails and also side ridge's so that water cant enter. Use something like no more nails for this as it fills the channells so no water can enter.

If you think water can enter ( from your hosing the garden) up the corrogations at the edge of the roof spray some enamael undercoat up the corrogations. I did it to one, but have not bothered on any other as the roof paint painted on the edgeses seems to give enough protection for the first few mm up the corogations.

As long as its well coated and water drains away from the cardboard it works. Just like Phills balsa on outside of buildings, it works.

Only trouble experienced so far, apart from a spider finding a new home, is that in a boathouse where I glued the corrogated cardboard to the korboard ( Signs the real estate agents use) the heat from the sun ( yes, we had it one day last month) twisted and distorted the corogations a little bit. Still looks alright so just put another layer of roof paint on it to cover any cracks that may have occurred.

Sprinklered some cigarette ash over the top while still wet to give it a dirty look. See, smoking is not all bad.
Have a go,
Tony.

[Anonymous]

Tony:

In the last few days I went to the hobby shop and asked the picture framers if they had any cardboard with paper on only one side. Turns out they had some lovely dull black matte board, and it was only $9 for a big sheet of it. I've trimmed it up and have just double-taped it on, since it's just for indoors for now. I'll try your polyurethane once it's ready for the outside.

FYI: I did this for my Bachmann Climax customized to look like the one at Puffing Billy down there in Melbourne, Australia! I spent a couple of months down there back in 1995. It's under the Christmas tree this year.

thanks for the reply, mate!

TIm

[vsmith]

I use a paper crimping roller from a local craft store and a product form K&S Metals, soft aluminum sheets that come in rolls and are easily cut to size and rolled thru the crimper giving very close to scale corragated metal sheets. I then use silicon adhesive to attach the panels to whatever Im working on.

[Anonymous]

I have bought some moulds from Jigstones and i can have just about any roof i like, ie several different types of tiles, shakes, shingle or corrugated iron etc. As we don't really have many shakes or shingles in this country, I mainly use Spani***iles or crrugated iron. They are moulded in PVC (I think) then youpaint them as you like.

Regrds Ian

PS We don't have many Spani***iles either I was wondering what colour they should be; I thought an ochre colour but Doreen thinks they should be a dark Terra Cotta colour?

[Rastun]

The terra cotta color.

Take Care,

Jack